Hemming ob welting machine



May 7, 1929. J R MOFFATT. 1,712,047

HEMMING OR WELTING MACHINE Filed Dec, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

y 1929. J. R. MOFFATT 1,712,047

HEMMING OR WELTING MACHINE Filed Dec, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 7, 1929. I J. R. MOFFATT 1,712,047

HEMMING OR WELTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 2, 1925 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 MINIMUM 7, 1929- J? MOFFATT 1,712,047

' nsumue on WELTING momma Fi led Dec. 2, 1925 H 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 7 r narsf-s ATE PAIE JAMES R. VMOFFA'IT. or CHICAGO, LLINoIs, ASSIGNOR T0 UNION sPEcIAL MACHINE coMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

IIEMivIINe oR WELTING MACHINE.

' ,i Application'filed December a, 1925. Serial No. 72,710.

The invention relates to new and useful improven' ents in sewing machines, and more particula rly ito a sewingmachine for forming a welt or. hemin a' knitted fabric, such portion of the fabric-is folded to form a hem,

and is again folded to lay the hem back on the body portion of the fabric so that the folded edge*between'tl1e' hem and the body portion of the fabric canhave stitches passed there- 'liem'or welt. e Another Qb ect of the nvention is to prothrough which are substantially concealed from view on the right face ofthe fabric, with means for interning the extreme edge of the material so that Vide a machine of the above type with a trimming mechanism for trimming the edge of the material prior to thei'nturning of the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type with a yielding pressing member separate from the usual presser foot, which bears.- upon the portion of the fabric which is to be trimmed and in folded, and which also guides the edge of the fold in the body of the fabric, whichimember is capable of yielding to permit the finishing of the hem or welt when .welting .a circular article, such a stocking top. v H r 3 A further object of he invention is to pros ide a machine of the above type with means for raising the portions of the fabric adjacent the fold between the body @portion of the fabric and the'welt,-infolding theedge portion and subsequently turning the fold in the body port-iondown on totheinfold of the edge portion andstitching the same.

I These and other objects will in part be obfnlly disclosed. 7 I

' In the drawings which sliowbyway ofillusvious and will in part be hereinafter more tration one embodiment of-theinvention Figure 1 is a frontview of a machine embodying my invention; v v

' Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with parts broken awaytoshow thejlooper support;

' Fig. 3 is a view in'plan of a portion of the work support. also SlIOWIHg ChG presser foot and the auxiliary yielding member associated therewith;

4 is a viewof-a portion. of the cloth plate on a larger scale, showing the parts directly associated with the cloth plate, and

'of'Fig'B; with certain parts omitted;

guide it is'concealed in the finished Fig. .5,i s" a section onthe line 55 of Fig. 3;

'Fig. 6 isfa sectional view on the line 66 T-O FI Fig. 7 is an edge View of the throat plate andthe' 'part'sfdirectly carried thereby as viewed from theright-hand side of the throat plate;

, Fig. 8 is a'perspective View of the bracket rigidly secured to the throat plate and carrying a strip deflector, a stitch finger and a for directing theupper folded portion of the fabric; I i

Fig. 9 is'aside iew of the yielding member associated with the presser foot; i r

p Fig. 10is a bottom plan view of the same";

Fig. 11 is a sectional view'at a point in front of the trimmer showing the presser foot and the yielding member;

fig. 12 isa similar View,but taken in rear of, the trimming mechanism;

' Fig. .Liis a similar view, but taken still" further back from the trimming mechanism and showing. the means for raising the edge of the fold in the body portionof the fabric,

and the means for infoldin the ed 'e portion of the fabric; T bi bi Fig. 14;. is a similar View, but still further back toward the needle, and showing the edge portion as completely infolded,,and I V Fig. 15 is a similarviewat the stitching point, and showing the fold in the body portion of the fabric and the infolded edge as superposed and held so that the needle will stitch these parts together in such a manner that the'stitches which-unite the parts will be substantially concealed from view on theface of the fabric.

' The invention is directed broadly to a machine for forming a welt or a hem in a knitted fabric, and more particularly for forming a welt for circular articles, such as stockings.

The machine in its present embodiment includes a vibrated needle'anda threaded looper which cooperates with it. The article to be stitched is foldedso as to form a hem, and then the hem is folded back on the body portion of-the fabric. The article so folded is led into the machine. The folded portion. of the fabric between the-hem or welt and the body portion of the fabric, is ledunderneath the presserfoot, while the edge portion of the fabric which is not folded is led underneath the yielding member which holds the same down on the section of the feed dog, so as to folded when it is led into the machine, andinsure proper feeding ofthis edge portion of the body fab ric. A. trimming mechanism is located in the nachine so ,as. to trim this, edge portion of the fabric which has not been a suitable strip guide deflects the cut off edge to one side away from the stitching mechanism.. Located in front of the throat plate is an uncurler for uncurling the edge prior to the trimming of the edge. The yielding member which holds the uncurled lower edge portion against the sectionof the feeddog, also serves as an edge guide for the edge of the fold between the body portion of the fab- "ric and the welt, and further serves to lift the folded edge portion from the unfolded portion beneath the same. After the edge of the fabric has been trimmed, it passes through a folder which inturns the trimmed edge portion, and this folder is so-disposed as to'inturn said edge portion and lay the inturned part on the upper face of said lower p'ortion which is trimmed while the folded edge portion is raised. After this part has been infolded, then theraised folded edge portion laid down onsaid' inturned edge and superposed thereon; The fabric as thus folded is fed to the stitching mechanism. The

stitching mechanism is sov positioned relative to the folds in the fabric, that the needles on one stroke will pass through the folded edge between the body portionof the fabric and the welt or hem, and the needle, in its descent, will. pass intoand out of the fabric on the same face thereof without passing through. to the other face of the fabric. In other words, theneedle makes a blind stitch, or stitcheswhichare: at least substantially concealed from view on the right face of the material. On the next stroke of the-needle, it passes over'the edge of the infolded portion, so that said infolded outer edge ofthe hem fold is joined to the body port-ion of the fabric by the stitches. The hem or welt thus stitched, when folded out,has the free edge portion and the edge thereof concealed.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

my improved machinefor hennning or weltmg knit fabric consists of a worksupport 1 mounted ona suitable bed plate 2. The ma "chine includes an overhanging arm 8 and a needle lever 4. Mounted on the free end of the overhanging arm 3 is a needle supporting gate 5 inwhich the needle bar 6' reciprocates. The needle bar carries a needle 7. The needle bar supporting gate 5 is mounted to oscillate freely on thesupport 8 carried by the ovei-hanging arm. Said needle gate is PIOVldGClWltll the usual arm-9 which is connected by a link 10 with a rockarm 11 fixed 'toa rock shaft 12. This rock shaft is "oscillated and imparts a vibration tothe gate,

thus causing the needle on one stroke to enter the material, and on its next stroke to pass therefore, in the present embodiment of the invention, Where the edge portion is being blind-stitched to the body fabric, the'edge is encircled and covered by the threads formlng the stitches.

In Figures 11to 15 of the drawings have shown more 'or less diagrammatically the stepsthroug'h Which the fabric passesin the forming of the Welt or hem. Brief reference will be made, thereto, a's'the invention will be more easily-understood with a knowledge of what is sought to be accomplished.

knitted body fabric is indicated at 1 1 in these figures of'the drawings. Said knitted fabric is first folded back at the point 15 to. prepare The the fabric for the welt or the hem. Then the fabric is again folded at 16 in order to lay the welt or hein thus formed back against the face of the body fabric. The under layer 17 of the welt or hem projects beyond the'fold'at 1'6 a's indicated at-18 in Fig. 11.- The fabric folded as above stated, is led into the machine, and passes beneath the presser foot 19, and also: the yielding member 20 located alongside of the presser foot. These two yielding parts bearing on thefabric hold the fabric in proper cooperative relation with" the. feed'degs of the niacliiine, so that the folded fabric is fed beneath the presser foot and yielding member'QO. The under layer 17 of the welt or hem'passes entirely underneath the yielding member 20 and to the right thereof as viewed in Fig. 11. The fold 16 in eledsurface 21 at thefront end of the yieldthe bodyfabric passes along the face of the yielding member 20"and is raised by the beving member 20, and a curved recess 22 in the side'face of said yielding member 20. The

in order to allow this raising of the folded 1 15 'presser foot is cut away as indicated at 23 r portion, of the fabric. As the fabric passes along through the machine, it is first operated upon by a trlmming mechanism including a movable trnnmmg blade 24 and a stationary trimming blade-25.' This trimming mechanism trims off the edge of the lower f layer 17 of the hem. After passing the trimining mechanism, the edge of the lower layer of fabric passes into a folder 26 whlch curls said lower edge so as to turn'it upwardly and inwardly and finally infold the edge of said lower layer 17 0f the fabric. During this in folding of the lower edge, thefolded portion position, will pass through,

'16 is raisedto a-greater extent, and the infoldedQportion istucked underneath, this raised foldedportion. After the infolded edge-has beenplaced under the folded portion,- then'th'e folded portion is pressed down .on top of the infolded edge, a-nd th'e fabric is presented to the needle'for stitching. The

needle 7 when at its left hand reciprocating the upper layer of fabricatthe fold therein, andas a matter effect, the needle will enter and emerge on the same face of the fabric without going, through'to'the other sidethereof. If it does go through .to the other face thereof it is very slight, and the-reforeithe stitches formed on 'this stroke of the needle will be concealed froinyiewon the right face ofthe fabric.

The needle, when atits right hand reciprocating position ,,as indicated-at'i in 15,

willpass overtheedges of the-folds. in the .fabrioandon the-opposite 'side of astitch finger 2'? so that" the needle thread will be laid over this stitclflingeir and the needle" loops, when oined by the looper thread, will.

encircle the stitch finger. and willbe fed off from the ,freeend thereof.

. The presser foot 19; is-carricd by a prosser bar- 28 which; is of the usual construction; Theupper movable trimming blade 24 is oarried by a crosshea'd.-29 which reciprocates on a fixed rod orfshaft 30 secured to a bracket carried by theoverhangingarml Said crosshead is raised and lowered on said rod by that-rimming blade.

means of an oscillating shaft 31 which os cillating shaft carrie an arm 32 connected by means of a pin to an arnrrld carried by a sleeve 35 loosely mounted on the shaft 31, and this armBlis in'turn connected by a link 36 to a stud on the cross-head 29. The trim- ;ming blade 2 lis carried byabracket arm 37 -which is secured tothe cross-head by means of a bolt 38 passing through an elongated slot 40. Thisprovides a means-for adjustment V The pin 33inay be withdrawn from its connection to the arm e r,

and when so withdrawn, the, spring 41 will raise the cross-head and the tr1m n1ng head carried thereby to inoperative position; This trimming mechan sm forms no part- .of the present invention, and further description thereof is not thought necessary.

The yielding member .20 is shown morev fully in Figures 3, 9 andlO. This yielding member 20 is secured to thethroatplate 42 by screws 43, 48. These screws pass through slots in the yielding supporting portlon of the member some permit the member to be adjusted in a direction parallel with the line of feed.. *The'forward end of this spring member 20 isprovidedwith a foot portion ell which overlies the section 45 of the feed .dog. The sections 46 and 47 ofthe feed dog vcooperate with thepresserfoot 19. This yielding member some a beveledv portion 21 at theiforward end thereof, which aids in the turned portion of the promot ng guiding finger 1 m i the portion 16 of the folded faoric. lhiS finone side of the opening in the side face of the presser foot,

raising of the fold 16 in the body fabric. It also hasa curved recess 22 in the side face thereof. Said foot portion 44 of the yielding member 20 .is also provided with a rearwardly projecting toe 48 (see Figures9 and 10) This too 48 istapered on one side thereof. The other side of the toe adjacent the needle is substantially parallel with the line of feed. This toe is to aid in the infolding of the trimmed portion of the fabric. The.

folder 26 is carried by a shank 49 which is secured to the throat plate of the machine by meansof a screwEO (see Fig. 7.) which passes up, througlrthe throat plate 42 and threads into the shank 49. The right-hand side of the .member 20 is formed with a straight wall 51.

which lies along the side of the slot 52 formed through the yielding member 20 which holds the material -while trinnning.

Directly in rear of this foot portion l l of the yielding member 20 1s afolder 26. This folder 26 has a Vertical wall 53 alongside of which the trin'iniing blade operates, anda strip deflector 5" vwhich projects at an angle to the line of feed,

and directs the trimmed off strip away'frc-in the folder. and the stitching mechanism. The trimmed edge passes into the scroll 55 of the folder 26, and the. edge isinturned, The

folder also has a recess-56 in the side face thereof adjacent the needle, which cooperates with thecurved side face 22 of the yielding member 20 in theraising of the folded portion 16 of the fabric. The toe as extends into the scroll portion 55 of the folder (see Fig. 13), and holds the trnnmed edge portion of I the fabric down while the scroll folds the in turned portion thereof over this toe; As

clearly shown in Figures to 15,,the intrnnincd edge folded back,-wh1le the folded portion 16 is'hcld raised, so that the inturned part of the infolded portion is laid beneath this raised portion 16. Tlhe'presser foot has a cut-away part 23, as noted which allows this'raising' of the folded portion 16. This cut-away portion 57 gradually vanishes, and the raised portion is forced down on to the infolded portionf The folder is also. provided with a laterally 58 which overlies and then the other side of the stitchtinger and through an opening in the yielding n1e1nber 20. Directly in front of the throat plate is an uncurler 62 which is secured to the work supportbymeans of a screw63. Said 1m The purpose of thisuncurler and guiding fingel is to uncurl the edge of the fabric and pass it rearwardly in flat condition to the trimmer.

It is thought that the operation of the machine will be fully understood from the detail description which has been given of the parts which cooperate in the forming of the welt and the blind-stitching of the same. While I have described in detail a vibrated needle for forming the edge covering stitches, it will be understood that other types of overseamlng mechanisms may be used for this purpose. The essential featuresof thls invention reside in the particular way in which the fabric is handled, trimmed and lnfolded to prov de a welt which can be stitched insuch away that the stitches are concealed from the face side of the fabric, and the infolded trinnned edge portion of the fabrlc covered by the stitches.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of theparts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set'forth in the appended claims.

Having "thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters-Patent, is j I. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitching mechanism, a presser foot, feeding mechanism, a yielding member located at one side of the presser foot and bearing on the material in advance of the presser foot, said yielding member-having foot portion for guiding the edge of a fold formed by the laying of a hem fold back on the bodypoi tion of the goods, the edge portion of the goods forming the-hem fold'extending underneath said yielding member, and "means for inturning the edge portion of the materialso that the edge thereof is concealed in the finished hem. 7

2. In a'sewing machine, the combination of stitching mechanism, a presser foot, feeding mechanism, a yielding member located at one side of the presser foot and bearing on the material in advance of the presser foot, said yielding member having afoot portion for guiding the edge of a fold formed by the laying of a hem fold back on the body portion of the goods, the" edge portion of the goods forming the hem fold extending underneath said yielding-member, means for inturning the edge portion of the material so that the edge thereof is concealed in the finished hem, and a trimming mechanism operating upon the edge portion of the material forming the hem fold for trimming the same prior to the infolding thereof- 3. In a sewing machine, the combination of I stitching mechanism, a presser foot, feeding mechanism, a yielding member located'at one side of the presser foot and bearing on the material in advance ofthe presser foot, said yielding member having a foot. portion for guiding .the edge of a fold formed by. the

laying of a hem fold back on the body portion of the goods, the edge portion of the goods forming a hem fold extending underneath said-yielding member, and means for inturning the edge portion of the material so that the edge thereof is concealed in the finished hem, said guiding means for the'edge of the fold being so disposed relative to the stitching mechanism that the needle passes into and out of the body portion of the fabric on the'same face thereof, thus formingblind stitches. V

4. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitching mechanism including a vibrated needle, a presser foot, feeding mechanism, a yielding member along-side. of saidpresser foot and-extending toa point in advance thereof, said yielding memberhaving a foot portion with a re-arwardly projecting toe adapted to direct a .body fabric having the hem fold therein laid back on said body portion, said foot portion operating to'guide the edge oft-he fold in the body fabric while the edge portion ofthehem fold projects underneath said foot portion, a folding scroll in rear of the foo't'portion of said.

yielding member into which said toe projects,

said scroll operating to inturn the edge por tion of the hem, and a trimming mechanism operating to trim said edge portion'prior to the infolding thereof. p 7

5. In a sewing machine,- the combination of stitching mechanism. including a-vibrated needle, a presser'foot, feeding mechanisima yielding member alongside ofsaid' presser foot and extending to a point n advance thereof, said yielding member having a foot portion with a rearwardly projecting toe adapted to direct a body fabric-having the hem fold therein laid back on said body portion, said footportion operating to guide the edge'of the fold in the body fabric while the edge portion of the hem fold projects underneath said foot portion, a. folding scroll in rear of the foot portion ofsaid yielding member into which said toe'projeets, said scroll operating to inturn the edge portion of the hem, and a trimming mechanism operating to trim said edge portion pr orto-the infolding thereof, said foot portion of said yielding member and said presserfoot being shaped;

to raise the edge of the fold between the body fabric and the hem fold While the inturned edge is laid beneath the same.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination of stltchmg mechanism, a presser foot, a feeding mechanism, means for" guiding a body fabric having a hem fold folded back on the body fabric beneath the presser foot, said means including vdevices for lifting the portion of said body fabric andhem fold adj acent the fold in the body fabric, said devices being disposed alongside of the presser foot, and cle- VlCGS for int-urning the edge portion of said hem fold so that said inturned edge portion is laid beneath thelifted portion of the body fabric, said presserffoot being shaped so as to permit the lifting of saidportion and for subsequently returning said lifted portion of the body fabric onto said inturned edge portion whereby said inturned edge portion is secured tothe body fabric by stitches and the "edge of the fabric concealed within the finished hem.

- said body fabric and hem fold adj acent the fold in the body fabric, said devices being disposed alongside of the presser foot, and

devices for inturning the edge portion of said hem fold so that said inturned edge portion is laid beneath the lifted portion of the body fabric, said presser foot being shaped so as to permit the lifting of said portion and for v subsequently returning said lifted portion I of the body fabric on to said inturned edge portion whereby said inturned edge portion is secured to the body fabric by stitches and the edge of the fabric concealed Within the vfinished hem,sa1d stitching mechanlsm including a laterally vibrated needle disposed so as to pass on one strokeinto and out of the body fabric onthe same face thereof, and

on its next stroke so as to pass clear of the body fabric at the fold therein, whereby said inturned edge portion is secured to the body fabric by blind stitches;

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JAMES R. MOFFATT. 

